Massachusetts bans Catholic couple from fostering children due to beliefs on gender, sexuality, lawsuit claims | Fox News
By: Anders Hagstrom (Fox News)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A devout Catholic couple claims that Massachusetts banned them from participating in the state foster care system due to their religious beliefs.
In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by religious liberty group Becket Law, Mike and Catherine "Kitty" Burke specifically claim the state restricted them from fostering children in the state due to their adherence to Catholic teachings on gender, sexuality and marriage.
"After months of interviews and training, and after years of heartbreak, we were on the verge of finally becoming parents," the couple said in a statement. "We were absolutely devastated to learn that Massachusetts would rather children sleep in the hallways of hospitals than let us welcome children in need into our home."
The lawsuit claims that the state listed only one reason for denying the Burke's foster application, which was that they "would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA."
"As faithful Catholics, the Burkes believe that all children should be loved and supported, and they would never reject a child placed in their home. They also believe that children should not undergo procedures that attempt to change their God-given sex, and they uphold Catholic beliefs about marriage and sexuality," the lawsuit continues.
The lawsuit names Massachusets Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families Linda Spears, and others as defendants.
The lawsuit includes a copy of the letter the Burkes received notifying them that their application to be foster parents was denied.
"In order to be licensed as a foster/adoptive parent, a foster/pre-adoptive parent applicant must meet the following requirements: (1) A foster/pre-adoptive parent applicant must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Department the ability: (d) to promote the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of a child placed in his or her care, including supporting and respecting a child's sexual orientation or gender identity; (e) to respect and make efforts to support the integrity of a child's racial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious background," the letter reads, quoting the state regulations for Standards for Licensure as a Foster/Pre-adoptive Parent.
Becket filed the lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
In addition, The CF Foster Child Bill of Rights states that every child "shall be treated with respect by DCF staff, foster parents and providers without regard to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or disability," it continues.
Fox News reached out to the Massachusets Health and Human Services and Massachusetts Department of Children & Families for comment, but neither immediately responded.
The lawsuit seeks to prohibit Massachusetts from using LGBTQ accommodations to decline to issue foster licenses to religious applicants. It further seeks that the Burkes' application be granted and that they receive "nominal and compensatory damages" from the defendants.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
Absolutely no Trump or fascist nonsense.
memes must be topical.
Article is LOCKED by author/seeder
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I can understand not allowing priests to adopt....
While our species will probably never have a definitive answer to the "nature or nurture" question as to which is the major factor in what shapes a person's perspective about life, I would never support placing any child in a home that teaches a child that heterosexuality is "normal" and homosexuality is "sinful" (or anything else is "sinful" for that matter). Guilting children has the potential to create an assortment of mental disorders such as narcissism and sociopathy. Guilting children about their normal sexual desires can lead to impotence, frigidity, or assorted perversions because they were shamed by adults who were probably shamed themselves.
It is of utmost importance to have empathy for others and understanding of the range of "normal" human behavior before undertaking teaching anyone anything, but especially being allowed to program the minds of children.
Teaching children that they have "original sin" just by the virtue of existing is abuse and that is just the beginning of teachings that no child should ever be subjected to.
If an adult researches religion, and finds one that resonates with their "feeling" of reason for their existence or purpose in life, and it doesn't involve enslaving/abusing their fellow humans, then I wish them all the best for fulfilling their destiny.